You know what it’s like to try to disregard a toothache? They can be pretty tough. After a while, you end up having no choice but to see a dentist. The same thing takes place when your eyesight starts to blur. When you have trouble reading street signs, you’ll probably schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist. But the issue is, when your hearing starts to go you may not show such urgency.
And that could be an oversight. There are appreciable health issues (especially mental health issues) that can develop as a consequence of neglected hearing loss. Unfortunately, it’s pretty difficult to address your diminishing hearing if you don’t know about it. And there’s the second problem.
Indications You May Have Hearing Loss
We normally don’t appreciate our hearing. A high volume music festival? No big deal.. Blasting ear pods? That’s just how you enjoy your podcasts. But your overall hearing will be considerably affected by all of these decisions, especially in the long run.
It can, regrettably, be difficult to notice these impacts. The indications of hearing loss can be virtually invisible because they sneak up so slowly over time. That’s why it’s a good idea to be familiar with some basic red flags (and to make sure you don’t neglect them):
- You always need to crank up the volume on your devices
- You have a difficult time falling asleep at night and feel tired for no apparent reason
- You regularly have to ask people to repeat themselves
- You experience unexpected issues with short term memory
- Distorted or dull sounding speech from individuals near you (co-workers, family, friends)
- It’s difficult to follow conversations in noisy or crowded settings
- You have a particularly difficult time hearing consonants when listening to everyday speech
- You consistently blow the speakers in your earpods because you need the volume up too high
It’s pretty well known what these red flags and signs mean. At first, you will be somewhat oblivious to your symptoms, especially if they come on gradually, because your brain will immediately start to compensate. That’s why you should schedule an appointment with your hearing care professional because these warning symptoms should be taken seriously.
What Happens if You Neglect Your Hearing Loss?
Indeed, some individuals are quite stubborn. Or the idea of wearing hearing aids is simply too undesirable. They believe that wearing hearing aids makes them appear old. But in actuality, most modern hearing aids are virtually invisible (and it’s helpful when you can hear and engage in conversations).
Still, if you neglect hearing loss it could lead to numerous issues:
- Your hearing might get worse: If you don’t utilize hearing aids or enhanced hearing protection, You’ll continue to turn up your devices. Or you’ll keep going to rock concerts without any earplugs. Which means you’ll keep doing damage to your ears and your hearing will almost definitely continue to decline because of it.
- You could have strained relationships: There’s something that occurs when you have a difficult time understanding your friends and family: you start having fewer conversations with them. You quit saying hi, you stop checking in, you distance yourself. Some of those relationships will be ruined, especially if the issue is hearing loss that you have kept secret (and not some unexpressed animosity).
- Cognitive decline and depression could result: As your relationships fray and going out gets more challenging, you might start to experience signs of depression. You might also start to go through some mental decline if your brain doesn’t get the auditory stimulation that it’s used to, your neural physiology starts to experience specific changes. If your hearing loss isn’t treated, it can lead to longterm cognitive worries.
Hearing Loss Shouldn’t be Ignored
Down the road, clearly, bigger and more substantial issues can be brought about by hearing loss. But the opposite is true: acknowledging and treating your hearing loss can improve your quality of life considerably. When you can hear, your relationships improve and your daily life seems fuller. And your overall health will be enhanced by consulting a hearing specialist or at least downloading a noise monitoring app.
You absolutely shouldn’t ignore the health concern of hearing loss. A happier life starts when you find the right treatment. Deal with your hearing loss before it gets too severe to ignore.
